Catholic scouting is viewed as an integral part of youth ministry at Saint Paul. We believe scouting’s wholistic approach to the human person is an excellent tool to form disciples of Jesus Christ who learn to use their God-given talents to serve others, the Church, the local community, and their families.
Scouting’s focus on belief in God, ‘duty to God’, and ‘reverence’ for God are excellent foundations for formation. Duty and reverence to God are rooted in the Christian virtue of justice – namely, the honor we owe God for all that God has done for us. Indeed, the scout laws are in many ways drawn from the Christian virtues of justice, temperance, fortitude and prudence.
Cub Scouts (Grades 1-5) St. Paul Cub Scout Pack 85 has received recognition for the quality of its programming and service projects and is currently the Bishop’s Honor Pack. Cub Scouting is for families with a boy in grades 1-5. Dens (6-8 Cub Scouts within a particular age group, with trained adult leaders) meet weekly or bi-monthly. Pack meetings are held monthly (all dens and parents). Cub Scouting focuses on the family and provides parents with constructive ways to effectively raise their sons. The program’s focus is on character connections with emphasis on physical and outdoor activities, faith formation, and service to others. The program is year round, with camp activities available in the summer. To learn more, please go to Scout website or send an email to [email protected].
Boy Scouts (Grades 6-12) St. Paul Scout Troop has been recognized numerous times for being the “Best Troop” in the area. Scouts are boys ages 11-17, who meet every Tuesday evening from 7:00 – 8:35 p.m. in one of the parish meeting rooms. Monthly outdoor programs include camping, hiking, special trips and high adventure activities under the boys’ own leadership, with coaching from trained adults. The program runs all year and families are encouraged to join anytime. Learn more at www.Troop85BSA.org or by contacting Scott Leithauser at [email protected].
The Girl Scout Program at St. Paul is composed of individual troops, established based on grade level. Each troop is registered with Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland (GSOH) and affiliated with the Westerville Service Unit. Girls in grades K-8 have an opportunity to come together in a safe, supportive environment to try new things, learn and grow. Each troop at St. Paul establishes their individual meeting and activity schedule, and has a minimum of two trained adult leaders present at all gatherings. In an effort to provide girls with a well-rounded experience, troop leaders collaborate with the girls and community partners to facilitate educational / STEM activities, community-based service and outreach projects, arts and crafts, outdoor adventures, and Catholic faith-based activities. If you are interested in learning more about the St. Paul Girl Scout Program, please contact Theresa Wright at [email protected] or Beth Klapp at [email protected].
The Scout connection to God’s creation is another excellent way for our young people to grow in their relationship to God. Creating a sense of awe and wonder is a mark of Catholic scouting at Saint Paul. Instilling in our young people a sense of the majesty and beauty of creation is a wonderful way that scouting can aid in human formation. Saint Augustine wrote in The City of God: “Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Note it. Read it. God, whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead, God set before your eyes the things that He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that? Why, heaven and earth shout to you: “God made me!” With the above in mind, Catholic scouting always has creation connected to the Creator who made all things.
Saint Paul’s goal is to lead all youth to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today. In this way we draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith. Social justice, a preferential option for the poor, care of creation, solidarity, the rights of workers and the dignity of every human being are just some of the elements of Catholic teaching that easily connect to a Catholic scouting program.
